The problem with spam is that ISP's and their customers pay for the spam, not the spammer.
A "junk-mail" approach should be taken - if I want to snail-mail junk, I pay. You get it delivered free to your door (so that you can efficiently recycle it).
If I want to send spam, I should be charged by the byte. If I receive spam, I should get a credit by my ISP.
ISP's should set up "spam" accounts. Spammers can use these accounts, and pay appropriately.
When mail leaves the ISP (to another ISP), it's logged. The originating ISP sends electronic cash once a month to the recieving ISP.
The recieving ISP knows that the mail was spam, and credits the account of the reciever, skimming a percentage off the top to pay for the mail-server usage, etc.
If spam is sent out OUTSIDE a spam account, then the spammer's ass ends up in jail.
Slashdot Mirror
The problem with spam is that ISP's and their customers pay for the spam, not the spammer.
A "junk-mail" approach should be taken - if I want to snail-mail junk, I pay. You get it delivered free to your door (so that you can efficiently recycle it).
If I want to send spam, I should be charged by the byte. If I receive spam, I should get a credit by my ISP.
ISP's should set up "spam" accounts. Spammers can use these accounts, and pay appropriately.
When mail leaves the ISP (to another ISP), it's logged. The originating ISP sends electronic cash once a month to the recieving ISP.
The recieving ISP knows that the mail was spam, and credits the account of the reciever, skimming a percentage off the top to pay for the mail-server usage, etc.
If spam is sent out OUTSIDE a spam account, then the spammer's ass ends up in jail.
Sounds crazy, but it might work...